The comet C/2023 A3, also referred to as Tsuchinshan–ATLAS and regarded by astronomers as “the comet of the century,” is anticipated to be highly visible in the sky during September and October of 2024. Due to its characteristics, experts predict it will shine with exceptional brightness, comparable to Halley’s Comet in 1986 or NEOWISE in 2020.
Comets like C/2023 A3 are composed of frozen gases, rocks, and dust that revolve around the sun. They become visually striking due to two primary physical phenomena during their journey.
Firstly, the comet develops a tail that extends from its nucleus as it nears the sun. Solar radiation causes some of the comet’s frozen material to vaporize, leading to the expulsion of gas and dust, which then reflects sunlight. The comet’s tail increases in size as it approaches the sun due to the heightened solar radiation.
Secondly, the comet forms a coma, an envelope of sublimated ice that creates an atmosphere-like layer around the nucleus, again due to solar radiation. This coma also contributes to the comet’s brightness.
C/2023 A3 will be visible in the northern hemisphere from September 27 and will remain observable until the last week of October. During this period, the comet will reach its closest distance to the sun, beginning its return journey to the outer solar system thereafter.
According to the specialized blog Cometography, October 2 is expected to be the day when C/2023 A3 will be at its brightest. The comet’s tail is predicted to be particularly long and striking due to its proximity to the sun.
Tsuchinshan–ATLAS will be positioned between the orbits of Mercury and Venus when it is most visible, but it will be closer to Earth than these two planets.
Due to its closeness to the sun, the comet will exhibit behavior similar to Mercury and Venus. It will be observable near the horizon, along the sun’s path, and just before sunrise. From September 27 onward, the optimal time to view the comet will be between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. This timing and positioning are expected to be consistent across the northern hemisphere.
As October advances, the comet will appear higher in the sky relative to the horizon while gradually diminishing in brightness. Since Tsuchinshan–ATLAS originates from the Oort cloud, located at the edge of the solar system, it will not be visible again for tens of thousands of years.
